The Rail Partners lobbying group has replaced the Rail Delivery Group as the provider of ‘cross-industry services’. Their visionary remit is to ‘make the railway better by harnessing the expertise and creativity of private sector operators’.
Among their innovations that they are most proud of is ‘introducing cheap advance purchase tickets’.
Amazing?
Well these do sound like the Advance, Super Advance, Apex, Super Apex, Holidaymaker and Daypex tickets introduced by British Rail in the 1980s. Not much of an innovation then.
They are also going to help rail companies to ‘chase revenue and grow rail usage by making the railway more attractive to customers’.
Will that involve removing the Arriva rail franchises? That will probably get passengers in the North West cheering.
They have also come up with the idea of moving freight by rail. Doesn’t matter what you think, it is their innovation.